


Led Back to You

by ashesgalaxy



Series: Led Back to You [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Food Anxiety, Gryffindor!Keith, Gryffindor!Shiro, Hands, Harry Potter AU, Hogwarts, Hogwarts AU!, Hufflepuff!Hunk, Just There, M/M, Ravenclaw!Allura, Ravenclaw!Pidge, Ravenclaw!lance, Sort Of, You can pry Ravenclaw!Lance from my cold, also, anxious!keith, be sure to know that it is there in case, dead, eating anxiety, inexperienced keith, it isn't an eating disorder but, klance, not graphic, self-conscious! shiro, uhhh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 07:42:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13406604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashesgalaxy/pseuds/ashesgalaxy
Summary: Lance lets out a breath. “Phew! For a second I thought you were going to call me a liar! Then it’d be a big thing because you know how upset Hunk gets when we’re arguing and-”“You knocked me out of the air, Lance. And we always argue.”“It was an accident! I didn’t mean to turn that hard. Besides, Pidge caught you with her weird floaty spell, so you hardly even got hurt! And we only argue because you’re prickly and stubborn-”“I’m going back to the castle. Go bother your friends.” Keith says dryly, turning to head back up the stone steps.“We’re supposed to be friends too, you know!” Lance calls after him. Keith doesn’t bother replying. It was one battle after another with Lance.Or moody, Gryffindor Keith might like the company of Lance McClain more than he should.(The Klance Hogwarts AU nobody asked for.)One work in a series I might do of Hogwarts Voltron. This is just the getting together one shot





	Led Back to You

            “Keith, wait!”

            Keith does not turn around. Keith _refuses_ to turn around. He will not stop walking. He will not angrily spin to face the boy pursuing him. He will not argue with Lance McClain just because ‘it was an accident, I swear!’.

            “Keith, wait, it was an accident, I swear!”

            Keith stops walking, angrily spinning to face the boy pursuing him.

            “Stop following me.” He snaps.

            Keith didn’t want to see the pathetic little pout on Lance McCain’s stupid face. He didn’t want to see how the sun filtered through his brown hair to rest on his ochre skin that he put way too much time into maintaining.

            “C’mon, you know I’d never do something like that on purpose!” Lance says, swinging his long arms around wildly. Keith wonders how he doesn’t cause more accidents with those hazardously long limbs.

            “ _Wouldn’t_ you though?” Keith counters, folding his arms. He crosses them to his chest tightly, the same way he did whenever he was annoyed. Or frustrated. Or angry. Or sad. Or-

            “Keith.” Lance says seriously. Keith can’t even shield his eyes before it’s too late. Lance is doing that- that _thing_. The thing where his eyebrows push together but also tilt down like he’s the most pitiful creature on Earth, and his eyes seem to reflect that same sadness. “You know I wouldn’t.”

            Keith is staring at those eyes for too long. A few seconds past what an average human would. He’s been told many times in his life that his intense eye contact was unsettling. He found that funny- practically the same amount of people claimed he was rude for avoiding eye contact altogether.

            Keith mentally shakes himself from his thoughts. There was no denying the genuine attitude Lance was displaying.

            Keith shakes his arms out of their firm hold to distract from how awkward he felt, glancing to the right to glare at a tree. “It’s fine.”

            Lance lets out a breath. “Phew! For a second I thought you were going to call me a liar! Then it’d be a big thing because you _know_ how upset Hunk gets when we’re arguing and-”

            “You knocked me _out of the air_ , Lance. And we always argue.”

            “It was an accident! I didn’t mean to turn that hard. Besides, Pidge caught you with her weird floaty spell, so you hardly even got hurt! And we only argue because you’re prickly and stubborn-”

            “I’m going back to the castle. Go bother your friends.” Keith says dryly, turning to head back up the stone steps.

            “We’re supposed to be friends too, you know!” Lance calls after him. Keith doesn’t bother replying. It was one battle after another with Lance.

           

 

            Keith was only friends with the others because he had to be. Shiro was his best friend. But Shiro was also friends with Matt, who was Pidge’s brother, and Pidge was friends with Hunk and Lance. Keith did not understand how this was at all considered a packaged deal, but Shiro had simply told him, “It’ll be nice for you to branch out a little, Keith.”

            To which Keith had scowled. Much how he’s doing right now, thinking back on the memory. Honestly, it wasn’t too bad. Hunk and Pidge were nice, and though Lance was annoying as hell at times, (insufferable, he claimed to Shiro), he was a decent enough guy.

            Lance was competitive, tried to challenge Keith on everything, and could also get jealous when he was bettered (which Keith liked to think happened pretty often, thank you.) But Lance was also the type of guy who would reply to letters to his mom at the breakfast table, help people pick up their dropped books, and fall asleep underneath the big beechwood tree with his cat curled up on his chest.

            Not that Keith noticed or anything.

            Keith went through the portrait hole of the Gryffindor tower only to plop down on a chair with a tired sigh.

            “Hey Keith, why are you back so soon?” Shiro asked, glancing up from his astronomy homework.

            “Lance knocked me off my broom.” Keith grumbled, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Stupid Lance.

            “What? You two weren’t fighting again, right?” Keith could _hear_ Shiro’s frown. “He apologized, right?”

            “Yeah.” Keith grumbled.

            “Then why did you leave?”

            Keith blinks his eyes open, tiring of the question game rather quickly. “Because I… like to be by myself.”

            “But you’re here with me.” Shiro counters.

            Keith sits up fully. “You obviously don’t count. What’s with all the questions?”

            Shiro shrugs. “It’s nothing. Just making sure everything’s alright, I suppose.” He gives a tight smile, and Keith can’t help but feel like he’s let him down somehow. He lets people down a lot. “I’m meeting Allura tomorrow at Hogsmeade. We’re going on a date.”

            Keith’s eyes widen slightly. He’d been waiting for this to happen, honestly. Shiro was more than handsome. He had dark, angled eyes that held a sense of warmth, jet black hair with a tuft of white at the front, and a strong build. It contrasted with Keith’s own lean and pale frame. Keith claimed that hair color enough was proof that Shiro was his biological older brother.

            (“Keith, I’m Japanese.” He had said.

            “So?”

            “You’re white.”

            “Maybe I’m Japanese.”

            “You’re not.”

            “Maybe you’re not, either.”

            Shiro shook his head at that. Keith had just wanted a single win, was that too much to ask for?)

            “You and Allura have been getting closer for awhile now. Think it’ll be weird?” Keith asks, floating a log by the fire lazily.

            “Suppose not.” Shiro responds, closing his textbook. “Then again I am kind of nervous. I just… I really want this to go well.” He murmurs, nodding to himself.

            Keith lowers the log to give his best friend his full attention. “Shiro, I’m sure it’ll be alright. She obviously really likes you. And you really like her.”

            “Yeah, I guess so.”

            Keith frowns at Shiro’s downtrodden attitude.

            “Not exactly like you to be so down when it comes to Allura. Tell me what’s bothering you.” He requests, rolling his wand against his palm.

            Shiro gives a small smile. “I’m that obvious, huh?”

            “To me you are.”

            Shiro laughs gently, eyes still ever so troubled. “I just have a lot of mixed emotions. I mean, what am I supposed to wear? What if her friends think I look weird? I mean, I don’t exactly look normal. And I also feel bad that I won’t be hanging out with you. And what if I forget my wallet?”

            Keith shakes his head. “Come on. Just dress… nice but normal. You can pull off anything. Don’t feel guilty about me, and I won’t let you forget your wallet. And if they don’t like how you look, forget them. You look perfectly fine.” Keith promises.

            Shiro nods, absentmindedly rubbing the bridge of his nose. Keith bites back his frown. Shiro always rubbed his most prominent scar when his self-esteem was down. It was a long pink scar that stretched from under one eye, across his nose, to the end of his other eye. Keith didn’t think it looked bad. He wasn’t even sure if Shiro thought it looked bad. Even now, seeing his once confident best friend so self-conscious was a little more than heartbreaking.

            “Shiro, everyone thinks you’re attractive. Literally everyone. Don’t make me bring Lance up here to tell you.” Keith threatens. “You know I will. And you know what he’ll say.”

            Shiro finally breaks out into a real smile as he laughs. “No, don’t do that. I do want to get to my date on time tomorrow.”

 

             “Allura, tell me who you’re going with.” Lance begs with a pout.

            “I already _told you_ , I _won’t_ tell you because _you can’t keep secrets_.” Allura returns, rolling her turquoise eyes.

            “Why is it a secret?” Lance presses.

            “Because he’s shy and I can tell he’s nervous. That’s why I told him last night at dinner to bring his friend and I’d bring mine so he wouldn’t be so nervous.”

            “Oh, like a double date?” Lance asks excitedly. He loved going on dates. He loved getting to know people, and he absolutely loved making them smile with jokes and gifts. He thrived on telling stories and listening to people express themselves. “Who’s the lucky lady?”

            Allura’s eyebrow twitches as she tries to maintain her composure. Lance has the feeling she’s about to snap at him.

            “His friend is a boy. And it is _not_ a double date.”

            “I can roll with that.” Lance grins. He hadn’t been on a date in a long while by his own standards, let alone with a boy. His last day was with a Hufflepuff girl that only ever wanted to go to that God-awful teashop in the village. He didn’t know how to let her down at first, but as she became demanding and borderline mean, he found the words came a lot easier.

            (“Dude, try getting to know someone a little bit next time.” Hunk had advised.

            “No! If there isn’t an instant connection, what’s even the point?!”)

            “We need to leave soon.”

            Lance goes to his trunk, shuffling through his various items of clothing before settling on a blue sweater to put underneath his Ravenclaw robes. He checks himself in the mirror and tries smiling at his reflection. He quickly turns back around to his friend. “Okay, I’m ready.”

 

 

            Lance is freezing on the walk to Hogsmeade.

            “Lance, I told you to wear your winter robes.” Allura sighs.

            “I told you, they are hand-me-downs from Marco! They’re practically threadbare!”

            “What about Sam?”

            “He was a Gryffindor, so he had the wrong emblem.”

            “Just let me-”

            “No Allura, you aren’t buying me new winter robes.” Lance says with finality. Rather Allura be filthy rich or not, he didn’t like people going out of their way to treat him. He liked giving but was usually embarrassed by receiving, especially something as expensive as new winter robes. “Where are we meeting them, anyhow?”

            “The Three Broomsticks.”

            Lance follows Allura into the bar when they get there. Allura scans the place before giving a dazzling smile and making a beeline for the back of the establishment.

            “Shiro!” she calls, waving a powder blue gloved hand.

            “Shiro? You mean-” Lance nearly gapes when he realizes Allura was going on a date with Shiro. What a fucking power couple. Arguably the two hottest, smartest seventh years in their school.

            But then his blue gaze reaches Shiro’s friend and Lance squawks like a bird. “What?! _Keith_ is my date?!” he yells indignantly. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

            “We are _not_ on a date.” Keith snaps, shutting it down instantly. Frickin’ Keith and his emo hair and emo posture and emo aura. Keith was the most uptight person Lance had ever met in his entire existence.

            “Relax. I know that now, seeing as you’re here.” Lance says smoothly, crossing his arms.

            “Yet you just announced otherwise to the entire building.” Keith says dryly, crossing his own arms in a challenging manner.

            “What’s with you? Still salty I beat you at flying yesterday?” Lance taunts, hoping to get back to their usual, casual bickering.

            “You said that was an accident.” Keith retorts, voice angrier than before.

            “Okay! Maybe we should go order!” Allura says with a faltering smile. Shit, he was blowing this for her. He was supposed to be the supporting character today.

            “I’ll go order.” Lance says automatically. As he stands, he has the sudden realization that he doesn’t have enough money for everyone. He’s halfway across the bar when Keith catches up with him.

            “What are you doing?”

            “Paying for me and Shiro’s drinks?” Keith asks, looking confused.

            “Oh. Right.” Lance shakes his head, internally relieved.

            When it’s his turn to order, Lance orders two with confidence.

            “Four sickles, dear.”

            Lance digs around his pocket, but he can only find three sickles and a couple of knuts. He shakes his head.

            “Sorry, I meant one.” He says, plastering his usual smile onto his face. He’s praying that Keith isn’t paying attention and that the volume of the room would mask his embarrassing moment. After Lance hands over his money and the bartend went back for the drinks, Lance risks a peek at Keith. The Gryffindor was looking up at the rafters where a bird had gotten in. He was hunched slightly, violet eyes nearly hidden in his dark hair. With the loudness of the music and Keith paying attention to a bird for whatever reason, Lance thinks he’s in the clear.

            “Your drink.”

            Lance takes the mug and heads back to where Allura and Shiro were. Shiro had a small smile as Allura moved her hands while telling a story. He comes over and sets the mug in front of her before retaking his seat.

            “Oh, thank you Lance. But where’s yours?” Allura asks, face falling suddenly. “Oh no, was it that-”

            “Here,” Keith says from behind him. Lance turns and sees Keith Kogane with three mugs gripped in his hands. “You forgot yours at the counter so I grabbed it.”

            “O-oh, right. Uh, thanks…” Lance mumbles, taking a mug with heated cheeks. Allura seems to smile in relief before continuing her story.

            It’s hard to look at Keith after that. A part of him wishes Keith would’ve just left it so they could bicker like usual, but he’s simultaneously relieved. It’s embarrassing when you can’t even treat yourself and a friend to a drink, and it’s worse when everyone can visibly see you can’t treat yourself and a friend to a drink.

            Allura and Shiro start in on a conversation about their Astronomy class, so Lance takes the opportunity to pull a textbook and parchment from his bag.

            “Are you doing _homework_?” Keith asks with a snort.

            Lance narrows his eyes. “Yes, in fact, I am.”

            “Come on Lance, you’re not going to drop to the bottom of the class in one weekend.” Keith reasons, crossing his arms matter-of-factly.

            “I won’t drop to the bottom, but I could drop to second.” Lance retorts, leaning back in his chair for a moment to stretch.

            Keith lifts an eyebrow. Keith had expressive black eyebrows that were somewhat hidden behind his hair, like his eyes. “I think you’re already there, actually.”

            Lance pulls back from his book completely.

            “Oh really? What are you getting in Potions?”

            “Raised my A to an E.”

            Lance scowls, going back to his homework. Keith just laughs, and Lance wants to punch him.

            “Come on Lance, it’s not so bad.”

            Keith ends up taking out a book while Lance works. He manages to drown out Shiro’s sheepish voice and Allura’s soft giggles, zoning in on his own work.

            “You okay?” Lance snaps from his trance.

            “What?”

            “You stopped writing and you were staring at nothing.”

            “Just came across something difficult. That’s it.”

            “Let me see.” Keith says, reaching across the table and taking Lance’s homework. He scans it over with those wide, purplish eyes before taking a piece of parchment from Lance’s stack, along with his quill.

            “Okay, so you want to use the new translation sheet we got during class, not the one from the book. And if you sorta use your fingers like this,” Keith took his finger at the top of the paper and the one at the side, pulling them together. It smudged his own writing slightly. “You can find out the conjugation you need.”

            Lance can’t believe how simple Keith made it. He’d have never thought of making his own conjugation grid.

            “Why are you helping me?” Lance blurts out.

            Keith shrugs. “Because we’re… in the same friend group.”

            Shiro and Allura suddenly bust out laughing and Keith jumps, Lance looking over as well.

            “No, he didn’t!”

            “He did! He thought it was candy! My mom had to magic the welts off his tongue!” he shakes his head. “Well, this was really fun.”

            “Thanks.” Lance says to Keith as Allura and Shiro said their goodbyes. “For the homework and…”

            Keith nods. “Yeah, no problem.”

 

 

            Keith and Lance were at each other’s throats the very next Monday.

            “You did that on purpose!” Lance whines with a frown.

            “I did not.”

            “You were just jealous that I was catching up.”

            Keith sighs, rolling his eyes. Lance was insufferable.

            “It was a single holly leaf, Lance.”

            “You bumped me and now it isn’t cut straight!”

            “The cut doesn’t matter.”

            “It does to me!”

            “Then take one of mine.” Keith snaps.

            “I don’t need your charity.” Lance mopes. “I’ll just get my imperfect grade to go on top of my imperfect life.”

            Keith was seconds away from losing it. He didn’t know if his patience or Lance’s neck would break first, but they were minutes away from finding out.

            “Disrupting class again it seems.” Professor Snape drawls. “Five points from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.”

            “I didn’t do anything.” Keith snaps.

            “Another five points from Gryffindor.”

            “Yeah, only knocked into my chopping arm.” Lance hisses at him.

            “Another five points from Ravenclaw.”

            Lance groans, balancing his head on his hand.

            Regardless, he and Lance both received perfect scores on their potions. As they leave the dungeon, they’re greeted by Hunk and Pidge.

            “Hey guys! Want to go play some Exploding Snap?” Hunk asks with a grin.

            “Careful, Keith might smack them out of your hand.” Lance says glumly.

            “Stop being so dramatic.” Keith sighs. “Besides, I’m going to go meet up with Shiro.”

            “Shiro is at the N.E.W.T practice meeting.” Pidge informs him, pushing her glasses into place.

            “Well then I’m going to go to the library.” Keith retorts.

            Lance frowns. “Why? You should play a few rounds with us.”

            Keith gives him an incredulous look. “Why?”

            Lance shrugs. “More fun when you play, too.”

            Keith tries to mask his shock. “I think I’m going to just do my homework, thanks.”

            Keith heads to the library, going up the marble staircases. Lance sat by him in Potions and History of Magic today, which was somewhat unusual. He supposes after their weekend, maybe they were closer than before.

He’s halfway to the library when a wave of dizziness overtakes him. He grips the railing of the moving stone stairs, stomach jolting, and fear comes up when he feels his legs shake beneath him. The burning doesn’t subside, instead giving way to a sharp pang throughout his body. He wants Shiro to help him. He always does.

            “Hey, buddy.” Hunk’s voice was beside him. How long had he stood like that? Long enough for Hunk to find him? Had he been behind Keith the whole time? “Have you eaten today?”

            Keith shakes his head, bowing his head in shame. The gentle Hufflepuff boy wrapped an arm over his shoulders. Even without fully embracing, Keith understood why everyone raved about his hugs.

            Hunk leads him down to the nearly empty Great Hall, and he sat down right next to Keith at the Gryffindor table, daring anyone to stop him. Keith’s cheeks are so warm he thinks he might black out altogether. If he closed his eyes, he thinks he very well might leave this reality.

            “Here,” Hunk ladles him a bowl of soup and puts a roll onto a napkin to hand him.

            Keith holds a spoonful of the soup but doesn’t bring it to his mouth. His heart won’t stop fluttering. It does it’s fluttering with a harsh pound every few seconds.

            “Did Lance tell you?” he mumbles.

            “He was worried, he just wanted to talk to me about it. It wasn’t gossip.” Hunk reassures him. “Don’t be mad at him.”

            Keith’s mind is transported back to two years ago, his fourth year. He was looking for Shiro and couldn’t find him. He sees himself beside a statue of a griffin, crying into his elbow. Recalls Lance taking his hand and pulling him to the Great Hall. He kept hold of his hand until he finished a plate of food and the entire hall had been cleared out. Lance was nice to everyone, and on that day, he’d been nice to Keith, too.

            “Is that when you found out you love him?” Hunk asks softly, brows drawn together. “When he helped you?”

            Keith thinks his heart might beat out of his chest.

            “I don’t-” Keith starts but feels himself run out of words. He silently eats his soup and picks at his roll, Hunk patting his back gently.

            “If Shiro’s ever not around again, you can come to me. Or even Lance or Pidge. You’re our friend, whether you see it that way or not.” Hunk says with a sincere smile. Keith can’t help but hug him.

 

 

            Keith and Shiro are in the Gryffindor tower. Keith is on some seventh year’s bed while Shiro is in his own.

            “Ehm, Shiro? How do you know you like Allura?”

“It’s like, I don’t know.” Shiro says, smiling dopily up at the ceiling, resting his novel on his broad chest. “She’s so smart. And strong. Smart and strong.”

            “Wow. Sounds like you could write a book about her.” Keith says sarcastically.

            Shiro laughs, twisting to support himself on one elbow, head in hand. “You know what I mean. She’s just, beautiful. She knows what to say.”

            “I’m glad you’ve got her.” Keith says honestly. Shiro was smiling a lot more these days, a light in his dark irises that Keith hadn’t seen for quite some time. He was going on little dates with Allura and had an air of confidence about him that had been missing ever since he received those scars. “And how do you know she likes you?”

            “She helps me however she can. She- she would kind of flirtily poke at me or be touchy. She joked a lot. That sort of thing.”

Keith thinks that over. Helpful, poking, touchy. “I’m glad to see you happy.”

            “What about you, Keith?” Shiro asks. “Are you happy?”

            Keith considers the question. He was top of his class (Pidge was top of the fifth years, thankfully a year below), he was ahead on his homework, and for the first time, he had a group of people who he considered to be his friends.

            “Suppose I am.”

            “Good. I’m really glad to hear that, Keith.”

            Shiro worrying over him was the last thing Keith ever wanted, but that’s what happened more often than not.

 

 

            “Cheater!” Lance crowed.

            “How did I cheat?” Keith grumbled. Lance almost laughed. He always looked so grumpy when Lance complained. It was funny the way his face would furrow and his lip would pout out. It was childish but cute.

            “You just did. There’s no way you could’ve beaten me at Exploding Snap without cheating. There’s simply no way.” Lance said simply, poking Keith’s dimples with his finger before crossing his arms and glancing up at the ceiling.

            “Maybe I’m just better than you?”

            “Oooh, rekt!” Pidge says with a laugh while Hunk calls, “Sick burn, dude!”

            Lance uncrosses his arms, but lifts an eyebrow in return. “Are you challenging me?”

            “Uhhh…” Keith looks around, brows pulling together even more. “No?”

            “A challenge it is! We will both perform a difficult piece of magic! Whoever does the best wins! Loser has to do whatever the winner says!”

            “Lance, that’s stupid-”

            “You want to go first or second?” Lance asks, cutting Keith off. The moody boy rolls his eyes and leans against the wall of the hallway they were in, pushing some dark hair from his pale face.

            “Second. I’ll just copy whatever you do.”

            Lance scowls at his confidence before he pulls his wand from his pocket.

            “Feast your eyes on this, boys and Pidgeon!” Lance closes his eyes. He imagines his family’s excitement when his Hogwarts letter came, his mother kissing his cheek and telling him how proud she was, his father pulling him into a hug while the little ones cheered with glee. “ _Expecto Patronum!”_

            A wispy, shimmering silver light erupted from Lance’s wand. It formed a concave shield around him.

            “Dude, no way!” Hunk cries. “There’s no way you can know that! That’s amazing, and such a difficult piece of magic!”

            “Even I’m impressed!” Pidge cries bluntly.

            Keith looked impressed as well. Lance grins. Keith didn’t emote often, unless it was annoyance. Being the reason for Keith’s smiles or, more of a rarity, laughs made Lance feel a type of accomplished he simply could not explain. Maybe he’ll use this win as a memory for his next patronus. “Your go, Kogane!”

            “I’m telling you Lance, this is stupid.” Keith sighed.

            “Come on, show me your worst!”

            Keith pulls out his wand and without a second of hesitation yelled, “ _Expecto Patronum!_ ”

            A huge, roaring silver lion erupted from Keith’s wand. It prowled through the hallway, stopping in front of Pidge and Hunk. It reared its head, roaring again before disappearing into a faint, glowing orb before vanishing altogether.

            Hunk and Lance openly gaped while Pidge was practically screaming. She leapt at Keith, grabbing the front of his Gryffindor robes shrieking, “Who taught you that?! How long have you been able to do that?! Most adults can’t do that! That was amazing! Teach me, you have to teach me!”

            “That…” Lance swallows, trying not to feel bitter. “was fucking awesome.” He finishes. “Keith, how-”

            “Thanks.” He gives a small smile to them all.

            “Well, color me impressed. Looks like you win.” Lance declares, putting a hand on his hip. “Now, what are the conditions?”

            Keith shakes his head. “I told you it was stupid. You don’t have to do anything.”

            “Come on Keith,” Lance nudges him before he starts to poke at his sides. “Surely there’s _something_ you want me to do?”

            Keith looks at him for a little bit as Hunk and Pidge go to the other side of the hall to try out their own patronuses. Keith looks the slightest bit flustered.

            “Could you kiss me?”

            Lance is completely thrown by the seriousness in Keith’s tone. Looking at his face is even more confusing. He’s got a pink blush across the bridge of his nose, his hands are nervously twisting, and he is crossing and uncrossing his ankles even though they’re standing.

            Lance doesn’t know what to say. He wasn’t ready for a question like that. Wasn’t ready for everything he knew to be tossed in the air. All thoughts of impressing Keith, trying to get him to smile, they all drain away and leave him feeling vulnerable and cornered.

            “Is that- is that a joke?” Lance asks. It comes out harsher than he meant. He wanted to pretend to be thrown so Keith would take the opportunity to say he was only kidding and they could move on. He was trying to spare Keith, but Keith didn’t reply. Lance gives a short sort of laugh, trying to see if this was real. “Are you trying to make me look stupid? Like I would kiss _you_! Why would I ever want your mouth close to mine? Inviting you around is bad enough!”

            He awaits Keith’s banter in return but it doesn’t come. His heart stutters in his chest when he sees Keith’s ridiculously owllike eyes staring at him with a mixture of confusion and hurt.

            And shame.

            Heat kindles in Lance’s belly as it hits him that Keith _wasn’t_ joking and that Lance didn’t only break his heart, but ripped it from his chest entirely.

            “Oh.” Is all Keith manages. There’s a glassiness to Keith’s eyes that Lance hadn’t seen in sometime. He’d only ever seen Keith cry once, back when they were fourteen, and he swore he’d never bring it up to him. There are some things you just don’t hold over people’s heads. Like vulnerabilities.

            Or, he thinks, asking for a kiss.

            “Oh.” Lance responds. He tries to think of something to say to make this better, to make it how it was before he made Keith do the stupid bet. But for once his brain and mouth are disconnected and Keith turns around quickly to exit the hallway before Lance’s verbal skills come back online.

            “Keith! Hey, Keith!” Hunk calls, but the Gryffindor doesn’t turn around. Hunk turns on Lance. “Hey, what happened? He go looking for Shiro?”

            Lance can’t process the question for a moment. Keith probably was looking for Shiro. Or maybe he was finding a nice, Keith-sized hole to bury himself alive in. Lance can’t believe, after all of the times he’d been rejected, he’d humiliated one of his friends for being honest.

            “Lance, you okay?” Pidge asks, his fellow Ravenclaw putting a hand to his shoulder. “You look like you’re going to be sick.”

            “I… I think I messed up.” He manages, throat squeezing shut with guilt.

            “What?”

            “He asked me to kiss him.”

            Pidge and Hunk have wide eyes.

            “Did you?!” Hunk asks, more hopeful than what Lance deemed normal.

            “No, of course not. It’s Keith! But- But I uh…”

            “Lance, what did you do?” Hunk whispers in concern, brown eyes searching his face for some type of hint.

            “I tried to make it into a joke and- God, I was so _mean_.” Lance whispers. “I didn’t mean to be, I just was- I…”

            Pidge winces and Hunk gives him a disappointed look. “Lance, he was being honest with you. What did you say to him?”

            “Look, I already feel bad enough. I’m going to bed.” Lance says, pulling away from his friends. He feels sick.

            “It’s only six-thirty!” Pidge calls to his retreating back.

            “I’m tired!” he snapped. He didn’t want to hear Hunk’s lecture. Didn’t want Pidge to justify his actions. Didn’t want to think about Keith Kogane, his stupid, angsty, emo rival with innocent eyes staring at him with hurt and shame.

 

 

 

            The next morning, Lance is quiet when he goes down to breakfast. It was Saturday, which meant no classes of course. Lance was grateful. That meant he wouldn’t have to see Keith in any of his classes with Gryffindor.

            He can’t help but scan the Gryffindor table. He doesn’t see Keith. He sees Shiro reading while eating his oatmeal. He must’ve missed Keith since he slept in late, due to his inability to sleep the previous night from a guilty stomach. Keith was notorious for waking at dawn nearly every morning, so he was probably gone by now.

            Pidge invited him to study in the library, but Lance declined. Hunk waved to him at lunch, but didn’t come over to talk to him. He went back to his room and stared at the ceiling.

            What even gave Keith the wild thought that it would be a good idea for them to kiss?

            After dinner, Lance takes his time walking to Ravenclaw tower.

            Perhaps Keith had thought Lance gave him some sort of sign?

            By the time he made it to the fourth floor, Lance thought of their bickering, the time he pushed Keith off his broom (on accident, of course), and the time he bewitched Keith’s hair white (it was stuck for two days before he came up with a spell to turn it back, truly hilarious). How did that equate to a mutual crush?

            By the seventh floor, he considered how he’d been poking at Keith ever since their Hogsmeade visit a few months back. How he’d been integrating Keith into his daily life more by inviting him to hang out. The incident their fourth year where Keith was crying and Lance sat with him until he ate a plate of food in the dim Great Hall.

            By the time he gave an answer to the question asked by the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower, he thought of how often Keith would blush or stammer. How he paid for his drink and helped him with Ancient Runes. How Keith hid behind him ever so slightly when Professor Snape yelled.

            Lance sighs. What a _mess_.

            On Sunday, Lance doesn’t see Keith at mealtimes. By lunchtime, he spots Shiro tucking two grilled cheese sandwiches in a napkin and slipping them into his bag with a slight frown. Lance wishes he’d have just said no politely instead of making Keith feel like less of a human.

            “Hey, Shiro!” Lance calls, hurrying away from his own table to catch the seventh year at the double doors.

            Shiro had a look about him like he wanted nothing more than to turn around and keep walking. However, his politeness made him stay, despite how much it looked like he wanted to tell Lance to fuck off.

            “Yes?” he all but sighs.

            “I was wondering about Keith? Is he…?” Lance wracks his brain for a moment. “I haven’t seen him at mealtimes.” He finishes lamely.

            Shiro runs a stressed out hand through the white bunch of hair near the front. “Yes, he hasn’t had much of an appetite for _whatever_ reason. I’m bringing food up to him.” Lance winced at Shiro’s accusatory eyes. He knew. No matter how polite he was being, he was pissed at Lance. And rightfully so. Why did he say that? Why did he say it was bad having Keith around? Why, why, why?

            Lance wants to ask if Keith’s okay, but that seems stupid considering Shiro was bringing food up to him so he could avoid the public eye.

            “Right. Uh, thanks.” Lance didn’t know why he was thanking Shiro, as he turned and walked back into the hall. Maybe for answering his question, maybe for not punching him in the face.

            “Everything okay?” Pidge inquired, brown eyes blinking up at him in worry.

            “Yeah, uh… I think I’m going to get an early study session in. See you, Pidge...”

 

 

            Back in his dorm again, Lance stares up at the ceiling. The thought of seeing his rival in a weakened state wasn’t as pleasing as he’d previously imagined. Lance tries to go to sleep, but he can’t. He’s imagining everything that could go wrong tomorrow. Keith could ignore him, or shout at him. He could have permanently damaged self-esteem. It wasn’t fun not being wanted around. It especially wasn’t fun being told that to your face by the guy who just shot you down. Hell, he might skip his classes altogether. Why did Keith have to harbor feelings for him? What did he have that he could possibly offer Keith? As far as he was concerned, he figured Keith thought he was annoying as hell, and it wasn’t like Keith needed any extra help in classes.

            He closes his eyes again. He sees Keith, all nerves and blush. ‘Could you kiss me?’

            He’d asked for a kiss. Asked the same way you’d ask someone for a loan of 300 galleons. The same way you’d ask someone to do you an immensely dangerous favor. He was so uncertain, and for once he seemed shy rather than broodily quiet. Who asked for a kiss? Lance sighs to himself quietly. It was cute, in a stupid kind of way. And it took serious guts to outright ask like that.

 Just for fun, he ponders what it would be like if he’d said yes to Keith. Well, Keith probably would’ve just stood there and done nothing. Keith may be conventionally attractive, but as far as Lance was concerned, he exuded zero sexual energy. So Lance would have moved forward, then. Maybe put a hand to Keith’s pale cheek. Appreciated the contrast of his hand to Keith’s skin. Honestly, Keith could use a little sunlight.

            Lance shakes his head, eyelids falling closed to go back to his daydream. He’d have bent his head down, pressed their lips together, and-

            Jesus Christ, he should’ve kissed Keith Kogane.

            Keith was brilliant! He was stupidly smart, driven, gorgeous. They bickered but it made their conversations interesting and fun. Keith was naturally good at flying but hated sports, knew an unnerving amount about the dark arts, but was adorably uncomfortable around the most harmless of beings in Care of Magical Creatures class. Keith was grounded, quiet, focused. The perfect balance to himself. Lance yearned to make Keith laugh and smile, felt a rewarding sense of accomplishment in his chest when he managed it. Always had, ever since meeting the quiet boy. Despite all of Keith’s achievements and perks, he chose to like _him_. _He_ was special to someone. Special to Keith.

            “Why didn’t I kiss him!” Lance screams at the ceiling.

            “I don’t know dude, but I’m trying to study.”

            Lance jumped violently, waving his limbs around to balance himself so he didn’t fall off of his bed. He hadn’t even realized one of his roommates had come back from lunch. He was too busy thinking about Keith.

 

 

            It’s Monday morning and Lance is completely buzzing with energy. He can’t wait for his History of Magic class to see Keith. He can’t wait until then! He might explode by then.

            He was later than he’d intended, due to him trying to get his hair to lie perfectly, but that was fine if he ran fast. His feet carried him up and down stone steps, and he occasionally smacked his shins and feet on obstacles in his haste to reach the Transfiguration classroom. He’d be late to Charms, but at this point he didn’t really care all that much.

            Lance quickly glances at his watch. Shit. Ninety seconds until class began.

            Lance busts into the Transfiguration classroom, making several students jump.

            “Mr. McClain?” Professor McGonagall asks, looking deeply unimpressed. “We are starting class now. I recommend you find your own.”

            “I have seventy-three seconds, Professor!” Lance shouts, trying to regain his breath. He scans the students, having the awful realization that maybe Keith didn’t show up to class.

            But then he makes eye contact with him, sitting in the back of the classroom with confused violet eyes.

            Lance takes off, grabbing a free chair on his way. He skids it in front of Keith’s desk before skidding to a stop to sit on it backwards so he was facing Keith on the other side of the desk, nearly toppling to the floor.

            “Mr. McClain?!”

            Lance ignores her. “Hey, I’m going to get kicked out of here in like, mere seconds. And I could’ve waited until history or potions but I was really wondering if I could kiss you, Keith. Because I think you’re kind of amazing.”

            Keith’s face burned with embarrassment, but he just gives a tiny nod, looking completely bewildered. Lance leans across the desk and presses their lips together, closing his eyes and cupping Keith’s heated cheeks. It was just like a normal first kiss. A little lopsided, but nice and soft. It was special though. It was special and felt good. Right.

            There’s a bang and the chair flies out from beneath him so he lands on his ass. Several Gryffindors laugh at his expense, Keith bringing his own hand to his mouth to stifle his laugh. Lance shoots Professor McGonagall a betrayed look.

            “Time is up, Mr. McClain.” She said, swiftly approaching and grabbing his upper arm to march him from the classroom.

            “But Professor,” Lance whines, pouting out a lip and giving Keith a sad wave as he was dragged away. “it was for _love_.”

            “And I’m sure you’ll have plenty of time to show Mr. Kogane love in your other classes.” She retorts, pushing him from the classroom. She gives the ghost of a smile before the classroom door slams in his face.

 

 

            “So when did you start to like me?” Lance asks. They’re sitting by the lake because Lance likes the sunshine and Keith likes the giant squid.

            “Lance, don’t make it embarrassing…”

            “No really, I want to know. We’ve been holding hands for like, a week, so it’s time to progress to the good stuff.” Keith stares at him blankly. “The questions! Anyway, I think I’ve liked you longer than I realized. I mean, it’s always fun to bicker with you and stuff, but when you decided to go off and do your own thing, I always wanted you there. Which, by the way, you decide to go off and do your own thing _a lot_.”

            “That’s because _someone_ acted annoyed when I was around.” Keith confutes. “Is that the squid?”

            “No, that’s a rock jutting out of the water.”

            “Damnit.”

            “Anyway, I acted annoyed with you, you acted annoyed with me, I made a gigantic ass out of myself, and then I got to kiss you in front of everyone. It’s literally the perfect love story.” Lance sighs, leaning back on his elbows.

            “It wasn’t everyone, it was a small fraction of Gryffindors. And I don’t know anything about love, but how is that the perfect love story?” Keith questions, leaning back on his elbows as well to look over Lance’s face. His freckles were more prominent this time of year.

            “C’mon Keith, it’ll be the only love story I get.” Lance complains, tossing his head back. “Let me have this.”

            “What makes you say that?” Keith asks, looking out at the open water.

            Lance opens a blue eye, the other squinted from the sun. “I only just kissed you this Monday and you’re already prepared for us to break up?”

            Keith groans. “You’re annoying.”

            “Yep, but I’m _your_ annoying.” He smirks, putting his head on Keith’s shoulder. He suddenly lifts his head again. “I mean, I am right?”

            “You are what?”

            “Your annoying. Or, you know… just… with you, in general.”

            Keith shrugs. “I don’t know. You can pick.”

            Lance busts out laughing. “You’re a weirdo, you know that? Who says that?”

            “Gee, thanks.” Keith says dryly.

            “But you’re _my weir_ -“

            Keith covers Lance’s mouth with one of his hands. “I liked you since we were fourteen and you stayed with me until I ate dinner. I have anxiety that’s linked to food, and I don’t know why. When I feel anxious, food makes it worse. I hadn’t eaten in two days and was having a breakdown when you helped me.” Keith says, eyes training on their knees. “I kept telling you to leave but you said you weren’t leaving until I felt better. And you held my hand the whole time and I started to sort of like you, I guess.”

            Lance’s eyebrows were raised incredibly high. “Whoa, two years ago. I always wondered what that was about, but I didn’t want to ask or anything. You know, I’ll always help you when you’re feeling kinda, I don’t know, bad?”

            Keith shrugs, but Lance takes his hand. “I mean it.” He says seriously. “And you help me too. With school and making sure I don’t do anything stupid.” He says, pressing a kiss to Keith’s temple.

            Keith cracks a smile. “Make sure _you_ don’t do anything stupid? I don’t know if I should drop out to keep you under twenty-four hour surveillance. Sounds like a lot of work.”

            Lance shoves his shoulder with his own. “You’re ruining my confession speech!”

            “Well hurry it along so we can finish studying!” Keith laughs before squinting his eyes. “Is that the squid?”

            Lance looks to where Keith was pointing. “No, that’s the same rock as before.”

            “Oh.”

            “ _Anyway_ ,” Lance presses, Keith returning his attention to the boy beside him. “I’m really sorry about how I reacted last Friday.”

            “Lance, you already explained in class-”

            “But I am sorry, and I truly didn’t mean to make you feel bad. I felt horrible all weekend. I’m sorry. I want you around, and so does everyone else. I hope you never feel like people are happier when you aren’t around.” He mumbles before quirking the right side of his mouth into a smile. “But, if you are willing, would you like to be my boyfriend?” Lance asks hopefully.

            “Can we go on a date first?” Keith asks. “I mean, yes, I want to be your boyfriend, but can we go on a date first in case you change your mind?” He didn’t want to jump into it without a date first. Keith really liked him. He didn’t want to mess it up.

            “I’m not going to change my mind, but we can do that if that’s what you want.” Lance says, taking Keith’s fingers in his own.

            Butterflies erupted in Keith’s stomach. “Okay.”

            “Okay.” Lance said, a certain giddiness in his voice. “Where and when?”

            “I don’t mind. Anywhere you want to go. You’ve done this before. Gone on dates, I mean.” Keith says. “The only date I ever really went on was Shiro and Allura’s, and that doesn’t really count.”

            “Hey, I was your blind date that day!” Lance crows. “That counts!”

            “No you weren’t, and no it doesn’t.” Keith says blandly.

            Lance rolls his eyes. Keith stares out at the water, hopeful for a sighting before Lance says, “Hey, Keith? On Friday, you made a fully formed patronus. Could I ask, uh, what were you thinking of? Like, what memory did you use to make one that big?”

            Keith drags his eyes over to Lance. “The strongest memory I’ve got. Maybe… maybe I’ll tell you sometime.”

            “I’d like that.”

“Wait, I think that’s the top of the squid’s head! Is it?!”

            Lance looks over his shoulder, brows pulling together. “I swear to God, Keith. That’s the same rock as the last two times. On our date, we’re going to the village to get you glasses.”

            “I don’t need glasses.” Keith says, looking disappointed that it wasn’t the giant squid. “If you’re really the top student in the class, fix my eyes yourself.”

            “I’m not the top student, you are.”

            “Fix my eyes, and I’ll purposely bomb our next Astronomy exam.”

            Lance pulls out his wand, chanting something quietly as he waved it. Afterwards, he busts out laughing, clutching his stomach.

            “What? Did it work?” Keith asks, looking out to the lake. “It feels the same?”

            “Oh, it worked alright.”

            Keith goes to the lake’s edge, looking at his reflection. His irises were a bright pink color.

            “Lance, I’m going to kill you!”

            “Race you back to the castle!” Lance yells over his shoulder, taking off.

            “We _aren’t_ racing!”

            “We’re racing! Loser has to do what the winner says!”

**Author's Note:**

> One work in a series I might do of Hogwarts Voltron. This is just the getting together one shot! I want to do more about backstories, and sequels, etc. that can all be stand alone reads if people like this enough!  
> R  
> there's giant spaces between time shifts, idk


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